The Law of Karma simply means, “what you sow, you reap”. It refers to cause and effect. In ancient times with ordinary people the teachers needed to talk in terms that were easily understood, hence the reference to farming and sowing seeds. So it is as easy to understand today that if you plant mango seeds you will yield mangoes. If you plant apple seeds you will harvest apples, etc. If you plant good seeds good fruit will result, not the same if you plant bad seeds.

When you plant something it takes time for it to mature to be harvested, so this is why there are people doing bad things who appear to be living good lives, the karmic fruit has simply not come to maturity.

“So long as an evil deed has not karmically matured, the fool thinks his deed to be sweet as honey. But when his evil deed karmically matures, he falls into untold misery.” (Dhammapada – Wisdom of the Buddha)

The principle of forgiving and loving one’s enemies is based on the Law of Karma. In some cases when someone is wronged they do something in return to retaliate. This can create a vicious cycle. Loving-kindness and forgiveness is the way to end the cycle and ultimately be rewarded for your good deeds. This is also the way to achieve harmony.

So what is the fastest way to generate the good karma that we want to harvest? The best way is by understanding and using the Golden Rule. If you want to be treated well, see that you treat others well. If you want to be blessed with prosperity and abundance, be charitable and generous to others, especially those in need. If you want more wisdom and knowledge, teach others. It is in giving that you receive.

How do you avoid negative karma? By observing the Golden Rule in reverse form. In other words, by not doing to others what you don’t want to be done to you in return. If you don’t want to be cheated, be fair to others. If you don’t want to be judged, be non-judgmental and non-critical to others.

The Multiplier Effect:

When you plant a mango seed you reap many mangoes, not just one. When planting rice you receive plenty of rice in return. You sometimes get 10 times, 100 times, or even 1000 times more in return. This is why it is so necessary to plant good seeds in the form of good words, actions, thoughts and deeds. It can come back to you many fold. You can learn to plant seeds wisely. For example the karmic return is greater by feeding someone who is starving than it is to just take someone to dinner.

You can be protected from financial difficulty by giving and practicing generosity. Tithing, generally giving 10% of ones gross income, is the ancient and proven way of planting seeds for a financially abundant harvest. Helping someone else to succeed guarantees one’s own success.

The good news of understanding and using the Law of Karma and the Golden Rule is that one can move from victim to owner of one’s own life and existence. It is not fatalistic because you have the power to use this universal truth to create the life you have always desired. And every time you plant good seeds you are assured of an eventual harvest of that which is good.

So prepare for the future by beginning right now to sow the seeds for your wonderful harvest!